I was featured in the Tablet with an article from the Evangelization Congress as I spoke about the importance of Pope Francis’ exhortation, the Joy of Love.

“‘The Joy of Love’ is a master document on the church’s teaching on the family, marriage, sexuality as well as the virtue of marriage and educating children,” said Sutton, who attends Holy Family Church, Fresh Meadows, with his wife and five daughters. “God is providing a source of comfort and companionship for every family in the word of God.”

Sutton broke down the exhortation’s sections and likened it to Pope Francis washing the feet of 12 people during Holy Thursday liturgy, when the pope made three movements: cleansing, kissing the feet, and accompanying the person. This relates to a culture of encountering families where they are, followed by kissing and acknowledging the reality and challenges families face, and constantly accompanying families, which includes the extended family.

“Our grandparents, they come from a generation where if something is broken you fix it,” Sutton said. “We live in a broken culture, where we throw away our spouses when it gets tough, but remember that generation… Ask for help and reach out when that fixing needs to happen.”

He also talked about the examples of families in Scripture and how humankind starts with a family in Adam and Eve and is redeemed in Jesus’ family. He added that the intent of the pope in having two synods on the family as well as this exhortation is to respond to the brokenness families can experience and remind the faithful that God’s grace is always available for them.

I was recently featured in the news report from Currents, the daily news show for the diocese of Brooklyn and Queens on NetTV. I’m so grateful for their coverage of this important event for our diocese and for our families.

Here I focused on the image of Francis’ washing of the feet as an interpretative key for how we can evangelize to the broken families in our diocese. I’m so looking forward to the testimonies that will come from this day of healing and reaching out to the Lord.

If you are interested in having me speak at your next event please contact me.

A great list of insights from students about what they need to do and what the instructor needs to do for them to excell.

Anne Curzan:

I wondered: What would happen if you asked undergraduate students not about how to please the professor but about what promotes good learning, for all of us, together, as participants in a learning community?

Long ago getting ready for the hockey battles at the Larsen Center at the Brookings Ice Rec Center we all got into game face with our Iron Maiden, Megadeth, and Metallica. My team brought metal to ice. We were awesome and I was there.

Well, truth be told, we lost almost every game, but, dude, the rush facing the onslaught of the breach. I will STAND in the BREACH.

And then I met Nirvana's Bleach so much more on point than Nevermind. And the distance between the breach and the bleach ...

I have traveled for a time in softer tones, but in 1999, I discovered Skillet at one of the best festival concerts I've ever attended. It was all summarized by the guy with the "Satan Sucks" tattoo. And then he screamed, "Jesus Christ Reigns."

Everything became clear. Jesus is invincible because He Reigns!

All of this is to say, you must listen to Skillet's new album, Unleashed and their new single. You need to feel the heavy metal.